Sleep apnea is a potentially serious medical condition in which – for a variety of reasons – the sufferer briefly stops breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is the variation of the condition in which the muscles of the throat relax too much, allowing the airflow to the lungs to become blocked. While some causes of obstructive sleep apnea are remediable – such as losing excess weight, using allergy medications, changing the position of one’s body during sleep and so on – sometimes the condition needs medical intervention. During a period of sleep apnea, you can wake as many as thirty to fifty times per hour, your body triggering an alarm that causes you to wake enough to tighten the throat muscles to allow breathing, before you fall back to sleep. And often, you will be unaware of just how often you have woken up during the night, only knowing that you feel unrefreshed and fatigued during the day. Obstructive sleep apnea is often signaled by loud snoring, but this is not always the case, so it is always best to seek a medical diagnosis if you experience any of the symptoms of sleep apnea which include:

  • Being observed (usually by family members or partners) to stop breathing during your sleep
  • Gasping for breath
  • Waking with a dry mouth
  • Waking with a headache
  • Trouble staying asleep
  • Signs of having had poor sleep: irritability, daytime sleepiness, poor concentration

Once you’ve been diagnosed, you can usually go about your usual life as normal with a small caveat of having to make allowances for your treatment. Treatment for sleep apnea changes depending on the severity of the condition. Mild cases can be treated with, as mentioned above, dietary changes (which can also include not eating for several hours before bed to allow for digestion to have taken place), using appropriate antihistamines or allergy medications, and sleeping on one’s side rather than on one’s back. While the most serious cases might need surgical intervention, this is relatively rare and most severe cases require the use of medical oxygen, usually at night in the form of a CPAP or BiPAP machine. CPAP means ‘continuous positive airway pressure’ and the machine essentially forces your airways to stay open by providing an oxygen-rich flow of air. BiPAP stands for ‘bilevel positive airway pressure’ and it is so named because it allows two different levels of pressure for inhaling and exhaling, which can be more comfortable to some users. Let’s have a look at how CPAP/ BiPAP machines help and whether you will have to curtail your travel plans should you be prescribed oxygen therapy of this sort.

Why Do Some Sleep Apnea Patients Need Oxygen?

One of the issues caused by sleep apnea is low blood oxygen levels (also known as hypoxemia), which can itself cause a number of issues from being fatigued and headachy to becoming fatal if your blood oxygen levels drop too low. While CPAP machines can operate just using regular air with its natural mix of 20% oxygen to 80% nitrogen, studies have found that combining the positive airflow with higher percentages of oxygen are even more successful at overcoming the issues caused by sleep apnea and also to maintain stable oxygen levels in your body.

Just a little research can show you that traveling with sleep apnea and oxygen delivery devices can be tricky – but a little more research will show that it’s not impossible, as long as you meet all the (rather stringent) requirements, that is.

Fortunately, companies like OxygenWorldwide are in business exactly to help patients who need medical oxygen while on the go and abroad. They have connections in nearly all countries all over the world, and are often au fait with the regulations of various airlines and other methods of transportation and can advise and guide you, as well as ensuring that your needs are appropriately met.

Key Challenges of Traveling with Sleep Apnea and Oxygen

If you are planning your travels and asking yourself if you can travel with sleep apnea and oxygen treatments, you will need to take into account the following concerns.

CPAP and BiPAP machines – along with the portable oxygen concentrator that you might also need – can be very bulky, using both a lot of space and a lot of your weight allowance. Secondly, many airlines do not provide in-flight oxygen as standard, and you will need to provide your own portable oxygen concentrator (POC) for use on the flight – and it will have to be FAA-approved!

When you are planning your flight and, indeed, the whole trip, take into account the altitudes you will be experiencing, both when on the plane and in the destination country. Differing altitudes can affect your condition, lowering your blood oxygen levels still further and worsening symptoms or making your treatments less effective.

Check out your accommodations too – not all hotel rooms or ship’s cabins come with plentiful power points and often they are nowhere near the bed, where you would need them. Mention your needs in your booking – which you should make in good time before you travel – and ensure that you receive a positive response that your needs can and will be met.

If you have any doubts, get OxygenWorldwide involved in the process, as they will known the best oxygen solutions for sleep apnea travelers and can provide oxygen to your hotel or serviced apartment, and will be able to advise on the best equipment to meet your needs and the provision of the accommodations.

Flying with Oxygen and a CPAP/ BiPAP Machine

Before you book your flights, check out the airline’s rules and regulations on the carriage of oxygen and breathing aids such as CPAP and BiPAP machines. Ask hard questions and if the person you are speaking to doesn’t know or isn’t sure, ask to be escalated upward until you reach someone who can let you know the ins and outs of traveling with sleep apnea and oxygen treatments.

Before you actually fly, make sure you know exactly what the airline’s policies are, and ensure that you have any medical certifications and/ or clearances to travel that you need. Also ensure that your oxygen equipment meets the airline’s stringent criteria and is FAA or EASA approved (depending on whether you are flying on an American or European airline), so you will not be faced with any unexpected problems when you are trying to board.

Packing the Essentials

It is annoying enough when you go away, whether on holiday or for work, to realize you’ve forgotten something like your phone charger or external drive cable. But not having the spare batteries and power adaptors that your CPAP or BiPAP machine requires is much more serious: accessories for these devices are trickier for the layman to source unexpectedly in a strange city, they tend to be fairly expensive, and your need of them will be fairly urgent, requiring immediate action on your part.

Once again, this is where OxygenWorldwide comes into play, offering excellent oxygen delivery for travelers with sleep apnea and other respiratory conditions in most countries in the world. Not only can the company ensure your medical oxygen gets to your hotel room to be ready and waiting for you, but they can greet you right off the plane to ensure you start your visit in the best possible health.

Finding the Right Oxygen Solution for Travel

There are several types of portable oxygen options:

  • Portable oxygen concentrators: ideal for flights and mobility needs (use while you are out and about, in short), these devices filter oxygen from the air around us, delivering it to you at your desired concentration
  • Oxygen cylinders are suitable for short-term use at destinations: for example, if you are watching an event unfold, or are generally out of the house and away from your main oxygen supply set-up
  • Liquid oxygen (LOX) is ideal for home use, or for use while in a rehabilitation or recovery center for a long-term stays

OxygenWorldwide is perfectly suited to finding you the best oxygen solution for your specific needs, using your trip details: itinerary, destinations, personal oxygen needs – to come up with a comprehensive and efficient delivery system tailored to you.

Arranging Oxygen at Your Destination

You should take every precaution when it comes to making sure that you will be able to access and use your oxygen treatments when you travel – but it is not always as easy as that sounds. There can be language barriers, cultural differences that don’t translate well when it comes to promises made being upheld, and even cost issues to factor in, especially if you are travelling to a developing country. Even something as apparently simple as ensuring an electrical outlet near the bed can be something of a minefield with one of three different types of plug socket in use depending on where you’re going.

And sometimes, no matter how early you make arrangements and try to ensure a good supply of oxygen for the duration of your trip, it is just not possible to rely on oxygen supplies being readily available when you need them. Therefore, your oxygen supplies should be pre-arranged. OxygenWorldwide is practiced in delivering international oxygen supplies and they will – once you’ve entered into an agreement with them – take steps to ensure that your needs are met in a timely and seamless manner. We do this by having a wide-spreading network of local suppliers and delivery companies, all of whom are vetted to work to our high standards of customer care.

Tips for Managing Sleep Apnea and Oxygen While Traveling

Returning to the specifics of traveling with sleep apnea and oxygen, here are some pro-tips to make your voyage pass smoothly and safely:

  • Opt for direct flights whenever you can – anything that increases the risk of you being stuck for long hours without ready access to oxygen should be actively avoided. Work on the principle of Murphy’s Law, plan for those variables you can control and avoid those that you cannot.
  • Keep your medical equipment in your carry-on bag, and keep it with you at all times. You are only as safe as your portable oxygen treatments, so don’t risk someone else’s carelessness if you can avoid it.
  • Plan your oxygen refills actively, especially if trips are going to be exceptionally long, or even if they will be more than usually tiring.
  • Have local contacts who are aware of your medical condition, understand the treatments and who will advocate for you in the event that you are incapacitated.

In most of these cases, OxygenWorldwide is your one-stop-shop, providing oxygen in multiple destinations and confidently dealing with even the most complex itineraries.

Why OxygenWorldwide is the Best Partner for Sleep Apnea Patients

Sleep apnea is a strange condition – debilitating and potentially lethal (under the right, very niche, circumstances) at night, but not really a problem during the day for most sufferers. This can lead to misunderstandings on the part of suppliers who may not realize that your night-time oxygen needs are urgent. OxygenWorldwide understands the problem, and will work tirelessly to ensure your oxygen is supplied as needed from the moment of your arrival to the second of your departure. Further than that, we will work with trusted oxygen suppliers to tailor a delivery plan that best suits your needs – and our experienced staff will take the burden of arranging your own oxygen supplies from your hands, freeing up your time to enjoy planning out your visit.

Can you travel with sleep apnea and oxygen treatments? In short, yes, you can! With the right planning and the support of OxygenWorldwide, your travel arrangements can be organized, stress-free and liberating. Contact OxygenWorldwide today for more information about our oxygen travel solutions and how we can make your life easier.